An explosion of creative energy

image of Little Amal
21 Oct 2021

Universities often lack the resources for large scale art programmes, yet the University of Kent has launched an ambitious creative season. David Sefton explores the relationship between academic institutions and the arts.

Citizen's assembly invites input on arts in placemaking

13 Oct 2021

A citizen's assembly on the role of arts and culture - the first of its kind anywhere in the world - has begun.

A new website launched on Thursday (October 14) for residents of Coventry to share their views on how arts and culture can shape the city's future.

The ideas given online will be debated by 50 paid participants, who have been randomly selected from a representative sample of the population.

That group's recommendations will help form Coventry's long term cultural planning and a series of creative projects in 2022.

“This poll is a way of getting a sense of how the wider city feels about the issues the assembly is debating, and of feeding other views, perspectives and ideas in for the assembly participants to deliberate," said Janet Vaughan, Co-Artistic Director of project lead Talking Birds.

The website remains open for comments until November 5.

Voice acting school joins LIPA

13 Oct 2021

A voice academy founded mid-pandemic has joined the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA).

Bristol Academy of Voice Acting (BRAVA) will work with LIPA students in the final year of the BA Acting programme to develop their skills not only in voice acting but in marketing and branding so they can make the most of what the commercial voiceover industry has to offer.

BRAVA Founder Melissa Thom has worked as a voice actor for clients including Google, Amazon, Unicef and Bauer and on several video games.

"The projected healthy recovery and growth of the UK ad market by the end of this year means there is an imminent demand for highly trained voice actors," Thom said.

"We look forward  to working with students at LIPA to help them add voice acting to their skillset."

 

Questioning assumptions underlying governance

overhead view of a roundabout
13 Oct 2021

Boards in the cultural sector often focus on improving the delivery of a conventional model, but as Anisa Morridadi argues, both trustees and organisations need to change.

International partnerships fund 'not a replacement Creative Europe'

06 Oct 2021

The pilot responds to the UK's withdrawal from Creative Europe and prioritises European partners but is "not in the same ball park" as the EU scheme.

Canning Dock redevelopment to investigate historic slave trade

29 Sep 2021

National Museums Liverpool (NML) has announced the winners of a competition to redevelop Liverpool’s Canning Dock.

Architects Asif Khan, Mariam Kamara and Sir David Adjaye will work alongside artist Theaster Gates to transform the area between the Royal Albert Dock and Mann Island.

Competition judges were unanimous in picking the winning team, whose plans start with redeveloping spaces in the Dr Martin Luther King Jr Building “to explore and investigate the transatlantic slave trade and legacies”.

Gates hopes the redevelopment will “give emotional heft to the truth of slavery in the UK”.

“Canning Dock represents one of the most important racialised sites in the UK and it gives me tremendous honour to work with this team to realise the complexity of the site.”

Immersive exhibition merges art with science at COP26

29 Sep 2021

An immersive art installation opening this weekend will mark the UN's Convention on Climate Change (COP26) in Glasgow.

Polar Zero, a collaboration between the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), British Antarctic Survey, engineering consultants Arup and the Royal College of Art, includes a glass sculpture encasing Antarctic Air from 1765 and an Antarctic ice core drilled out of a glacier.

The centrepieces are significant because they provide scientific evidence of the earth's temperature before the industrial revolution - a turning point in global warming - and the state of the atmosphere now.

AHRC Executive Chair Professor Christopher Smith said Polar Zero "epitomises the power of the arts and arts s research to tackle pressing contemporary issues such as climate change".

“It translates crucial but complex scientific research in a way that will resonate deeply and emotionally with diverse audiences to inspire lasting change."

Polar Zero opens at Glasgow Science Centre on October 2.

Citizen's assembly to shape culture in Coventry

27 Sep 2021

Art for the People, believed to be the first citizen's assembly for arts and culture, will decide on projects for the City of Culture programme.

Co-designing a sustainable future for arts and higher education collaboration

still from a dance production
14 Sep 2021

While collaboration between the cultural sector and universities has never been more fruitful, Suzie Leighton and Kayla Rose know there are still significant barriers to overcome. 

British Museum plans new gallery in Shropshire

10 Sep 2021

A 'partnership gallery' at Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery will open in 2024, the British Museum has announced.

The museum's Bronze Age displays will be "redeveloped" to make better use of gallery space and create narratives about historical local life.

Three 12,800-year-old woolly mammoth skeletons - the most complete sets in northwest Europe - will be the draw card of the gallery.

The British Museum says the partnership will allow more of Shrewsbury's nationally significant geology and archaeology collections to be shared with the public

Partnership to rebuild a 'sense of workplace community'

07 Sep 2021

National Theatre has announced a new partnership to explore "the benefits of collaboration and creativity in working life".

The organisation will run a year-long programme of free creative workshops at three of British Land's residential-come-retail campuses: Paddington Central, Regent's Place and Broadgate, also the site of a new workspace for creative freelancers.

More than 40,000 people will have access to events to develop their movement, posture, speech and language and a series of thought leadership panel discussions on representation, inclusion and marrying corporate and cultural spaces post-pandemic.

British Land Head of Campuses David Lockyear said: "Partnerships such as this highlight that the return to the office is about more than just work; it represents our belief that London’s diverse and thriving culture should be part of that experience."

 

British Council launches first UK-Australia season

02 Sep 2021

The first iteration of the British Council's newest cultural exchange programme has begun.

A UK-Australia season featuring theatre, film, visual arts, dance, music, literature, and higher education and public engagement programmes is launching in both countries this month.

Its theme of Who Are We Now will "reflect on our history, explore our current relationship, and imagine our future together", the British Council says.

The season's webpage indirectly acknowledges the colonisation of Australia and its "traditional custodians".

"We pay our respect to their elders past, present and emerging and extend that respect to all Aoriginal and Torres Strait Islander people."

The collaboration with the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs aims to celebrate the "diverse and innovative artists" in both nations, the council says.

 

A golden thread running through a creative career

20 Jul 2021

Whether in policy development, advocacy or nurturing talent, Executive Director of Clore Leadership Hilary Carty’s career is born of a passion for arts and culture.

Forging a new partnership

Garden Museum welcomes visitors back in August 2020
13 Jul 2021

The museum and heritage sector has always been collaborative. But, says Carolyn Young, the need for supporting each other to build resilience is now greater than ever.

Arts and academic collaborations in placemaking

Community yarnbombing by Woven in Kirklees
29 Jun 2021

We are witnessing a significant increase in diverse and highly ambitious partnerships between universities and the cultural sector. Evelyn Wilson and Emily Hopkins think it's something to shout about. 

Europe is still open to artists

Project of a face on a blue wall
25 May 2021

With long experience of working in Europe, Phillip Parr reminds us that, even in a post-Brexit world, there are still plenty of opportunities for artists. You just need to know where to look.

Creativity kept (us) growing when the world was on hold

A "Smile" sign made using crafts by students
25 May 2021

Sophie Handy shares her experience of a civic arts programme with a genuine grassroots approach to local development in the hands of community organisations, local movers and makers, doers and growers.

Free Word to close after 12 years

24 May 2021

The first National Portfolio Organisation lost to the effects of the pandemic will close its doors next week, leaving a gap in support for writers, artists and activists.

Responding to a crisis with a rallying cry

Young girl looking at a museum display
19 May 2021

Together for Museums harnessed the collective efforts of members, artists, donors and the public to come to the aid of the sector, writes Elinor Trigg.

Can we any longer justify our carbon footprint?

A person lying in a tree using a megaphone
11 May 2021

After a lifetime spent working in the arts across the world, Judith Knight considers the dilemma of meeting the demands of the climate emergency while retaining international collaborations.

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